Miguel Aguilar is all about embracing his Latin heritage. Last summer he took diners through a tour of Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela in a dining series called "Taste of the Americas." Because the menu at Wynwood Kitchen & Bar boasts global Latino small plate offerings, he's expanded on "Taste of the Americas" this summer by going transatlantic.
Every Wednesday from now through August, you'll be able to indulge in dishes from Spain (June), Germany (July), and Portugal (August). It also happens to be seamless with celebrating the World Cup.
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"Taste of the America's is a great way to tie in the World Cup by showcasing Europe and other countries," says executive chef Miguel Aguilar, who is rooting for USA and Brazil himself. "European flavors go hand in hand with the flavors of WKB and what we do."
With Spain kicking off the series, Aguilar created three dishes that best embody the culture and fuse with the rest of the WKB menu -- too bad they already got eliminated. Still in the running (for now), the a la carte offerings for July's excursion of Germany will feature a variation of bratwurst on a pretzel bun with sauerkraut, and schnitzel and rouladen. Aguilar has yet to decide what will be on the menu for August, when he will feature Portugal, but we can only imagine and dream of lots of shellfish. Prices will vary.
Here's what we had from Spain (R.I.P La Furia Roja), available for the last time this Wednesday.
A salute to Spain with some white sangria with seasonal fruit ($11) to start. Follow that up with chorizo and potato croquettes ($9) sitting on a bed of chive crema and oozing with béchamel.
It wouldn't be Spain without some proper charcuterie in place. A charcuterie plate ($16) puts toast, duck prosciutto, San Simon and Tetilla cheeses up for grabs. There's also some membrillo to go along with your cheese and toast. Membrillo is a quince paste and the usual sidekick to Manchego, or in this case San Simon and Tetilla, which are both flavorful and mild cheeses. San Simon has a bit of a smoked flavor, while Tetilla (named after its nipple-like shape) is a lot smoother and creamier.
Stuffed piquillo peppers are a Spanish favorite. In Spain you can find them with a variety of fillings, from chorizo and Manchego, to bacalao or goat cheese, the opportunities are endless. Aguilar's rendition stuffs the peppers with crabmeat and Manchego. He adds his Latin twist by spicing it up with some aji Amarillo. Spanish approved.
Wynwood Kitchen & Bar "Taste of the America's" summer dining series is available for lunch and dinner every Wednesday from now through August.
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